Rules for treating a hollow in an apple tree
Gardeners often have to deal with the formation of voids in the trunk of a tree. Treating an apple tree hollow is a laborious process that requires urgent action. If measures are not taken in time, this can negatively affect the yield of the crop, its life span and the strength of the crown.
Rules for treating a hollow in an apple tree
Reasons for the appearance
There can be a huge number of reasons due to which cavities are formed in an apple tree. Most of them are associated with improper care, these include:
- poor quality pruning. If you leave a small stump after cutting off large branches, a hole will form on it;
- wrong means for treating wounds. This leads to the fact that the affected area is destroyed by moisture and sun. If you add to this the colonies of fungi and insects, the process is much faster;
- lack of treatments after frost or pest damage. The affected areas of the apple tree are exposed to the negative effects of the environment faster.
Hollow filling methods
There are several basic methods of how to close up a hollow in an apple tree:
- using polyurethane foam;
- using cement.
Every gardener can choose for himself the actual method of filling the cavities. It all depends on the reason for the formation of the hole and the period of its presence.
Instructions
The appearance of a hollow in an apple tree is not a problem only for old trees. These holes are formed even in young crops, so you should not root the tree down.
It is customary to seal all types of holes according to the same pattern. The only difference lies in the choice of material for filling.
Cleaning
Each treatment should begin with the grower removing the infected tissue. This can be done with a knife, chisel, or other similar object.
It will take a long time to clean the hollow in the apple tree, because it is imperative to get to the healthy tissue of the tree. Some light colored tissue will need to be removed to make sure there are no fungi or parasites.
If an odd hole has formed and cannot be cleaned with a knife, use a spoon and a flashlight. If it is difficult to get to the walls, take a saw and make a passage of the required size.
After cleaning, the cavity must be wiped thoroughly to remove debris. Collect it in a container and discard it away from the garden. Do not allow debris or sawdust to get into the soil. There is a risk that they will lead to new infections.
Disinfection
We process and cover up the hollow
In order for the wood to no longer rot, treatment with special antiseptics will be required. For these purposes, it is allowed to use those fungicides that are sold in the public domain:
- 2% solution made from copper sulfate and water (20 g of the drug per 10 liters of liquid);
- a solution of ferrous sulfate (50 g of the drug per 10 l of water);
- manganese solution: for its preparation it is enough to mix 1 tsp. preparation with 10 liters of water;
- carbolic acid (30 g per 10 liters of warm water);
- streptocide: it is enough to grind a few tablets and wipe the hollow walls with a mixture;
- you can rub the walls with sifted wood ash.
Processing during the treatment of the hollow of the apple tree should be carried out according to the principle of spraying. To protect your health (since the drugs are toxic), the gardener will need to prepare protective equipment (respirator, gloves, tight clothing).
Filling
After carrying out all the previous steps, you should proceed to the filling. Different means are used depending on the size of the hole. If the cavity is small, it can be sealed with a putty in the form of cement mortar, garden varnish, polyurethane foam or clay.
The peculiarity of the garden varnish is that it protects the tree from temperature changes and dries it out.
To prepare a cement mortar, you will need 2 kg of cement, 6 kg of sand and 1 kg of lime. The mixture is poured with water until a sour cream consistency is obtained. The peculiarity of this putty is that it strengthens the structure of the tree.
Clay can be used as a sealant. For greater density, straw or manure is added to it. The disadvantage of this method is that it is an ideal environment for the development of bacteria.
The use of polyurethane foam is considered the easiest method. It cannot be used on its own. You will definitely need a top coat of sealant, because moisture easily passes through the polyurethane foam. It is imperative to remove all residues after pouring so that they do not break the structure of the apple tree.
You can also heal the cavity if you follow these steps:
- clean the hole with a sharp object;
- spray with an antiseptic and dry;
- close it up with a wooden cork;
- cut the plug so that it is equal to the level of the trunk;
- seal all cracks with oil-based paint.
Additional factors
The treatment of a hollow in an apple tree can be complicated by various circumstances. In this case, the filling of the holes is accompanied by additional measures.
The defeat of the hollow with a fungus
If the hole has been infected with fungus, sorrel juice can be used as an antiseptic. Large amounts of infection are effectively removed with Bordeaux liquid or sulfuric acid. It is necessary to dilute such preparations in the amount of 20 g per 10 liters of water.
After that, the filling is carried out according to the standard principle using cement.
If a fungus appears on a branch next to the hollow, a single disinfection will not be enough. You will need to process it within 3 months with an interval of 10 days.
Hollow at the seedling
It often happens that a cavity is formed in the seedling. In this case, the sealing is carried out using a garden varnish, always after disinfection.
If you manage to fill the resulting defect, take a small piece of duct tape. With its help, you can fix the vaccination.
Large hole
It is imperative to close up the hollow
It is advisable to treat large holes after cleaning and disinfection with fillers. Charcoal or pebbles can help heal the wound. They must be used in conjunction with putties.
You can use crushed brick, to which cement is added, in a 3: 1 ratio. If the hollow in the apple tree is very large, it is better to fill it in layers. After such filling methods, it is imperative to seal the entire area with oil-based paint.
Ants infestation
It is important to remove all ants during cleaning. Everything that you managed to remove from the cavity in the tree must be put into a bucket and filled with a large amount of boiling water. As a further prophylaxis, the cavity itself, as well as the near-trunk circle, need to be treated with insecticides. To do this, you will have to dig in the trunk.
The most powerful means for the destruction of ants is "Anteater".Both liquid and granular formulations can be used. It is enough to pour the preparation around the trunk. As an additional protection, spraying is carried out with the help of "Oxychom" and only after that putty is introduced.
The appearance of juice
Hollow treatment in this case depends on the cause of the appearance of the juice. If the culture was affected by the bark beetle, then injections should be given at intervals of 2 weeks. Mix 2 ml of "Actellik" with 1 liter of water, and the composition is injected along the entire perimeter of the tree.
The reason for the leakage of juice is also poor-quality processing after an illness. The affected areas are removed with a knife and sprayed with an antiseptic. After 1 hour, you will need to cover the hole with Ranet or garden varnish.
Basal hollow
If a root hole occurs, it can be covered with a cement solution. It often happens that a hole in this place causes the wood to become flimsy. It becomes dangerous for humans, and it is cut down, leaving only a small stump.
If the diameter of the damage exceeds 30 cm, you will need to protect it with a net. You need to take a fine mesh. It is better to cover up such a large damage with the help of brick chips mixed with cement (3: 1).
A board is installed next to the damaged area, which will not allow the composition to flow out of the cavity. When the putty dries, it is coated with oil paint, which will remove all gaps and small holes.
Rotting wood in the trunk
If a lot of rotten wood has formed in the trunk, the cleaning and decontamination process is carried out according to the standard principle. After the antiseptic has dried and absorbed inside, you need to cover the hollow with cement mortar.
You can also use a cheaper version of the putty. Mix equal proportions of ash and charcoal. Fill a cavity with the mixture and cover everything with a wooden stopper. Use rubber to protect against moisture.
Bird's nest in the hollow
If you saw that chicks live in the hollow of the apple tree, you do not need to destroy them. Wait a few days for the chicks to leave this place on their own.
There is a method that allows you not to injure the nestling house. To do this, remove the socket and clean out the hole with a knife. Cover the walls with garden varnish and leave to dry for an hour. After that, you can put the nest in place, make a small visor on top so that water does not seep inside.
Prophylaxis
If you want to avoid the appearance of holes in the apple tree, you will need high-quality crop care. The simplest diseases should be treated immediately.
Pay attention to the slightest cracks in the tree trunk. They lead to the formation of cavities. When a crack appears, it is covered with a dense layer of garden varnish. When you remove branches, carry out the procedure on the "ring" principle.
If a cavity forms in the tree, this portends a danger to the garden. The damaged tree weakens and loses good yields. To preserve the beauty of his garden, the gardener must notice the occurrence of this problem in time and cure the culture.
Means for cleaning, disinfecting and sealing the cavity are in every home. If problems arise with an old apple tree, it is better to cut it off, leaving a small stalk, which is grafted into another variety.